Pursuit
by Atlantagate
Summary: The team investigates a planet that may hold the promise of a ZPM for Atlantis.


**A/N: This is a one-shot based on a LiveJournal prompt over at LFWS. Gave it a try and this is what came out. **

**Summary: The team investigates a planet that might hold the promise of a ZedPM for Atlantis. **

**Disclaimer: ****MGM owns all characters and I profit not. **

**Pursuit**

She ran as fast as she could, not daring to look back.

Gasping and panting short ragged breaths she kept running. She paid no heed to the brambles near her legs that tore at her skin as she flew past. Nor to the branches that slapped at her face.

She could hear her pursuers coming after her, crashing through the undergrowth and dense vegetation, calling her name as if somehow she would stop just because they asked it of her.

"Teyla!" Ronon bellowed.

"Teyla! Stop!" That was John. Rodney was probably still unconscious.

She knew she could not stop. She could not allow them to catch her. If they did, she knew they would die.

*****

By all appearances no one had set foot on the planet for centuries. The only reason the team was there was because a malp had detected very high energy readings during a routine check of gate addresses closest in proximity to Atlantis. The reading were approximately five clicks from the gate and strong enough to get Rodney's attention. He was hoping the intense readings indicated that there might be an ancient lab on the planet, complete with a ZedPM or two.

But when they arrived and had hacked their way through the dense jungle to the abandoned structure, they could not find a way inside. What they did find was what appeared to be a doorway, but it was tightly secured. Nothing they did would open it, even Rodney's tinkering with the access panel wouldn't budge it. With sunset fast approaching, John ordered them to stop for the day and make camp. He did not want to trudge back to the gate through the thick jungle flora in total darkness.

Ronon and Teyla would make the journey back early the next morning and radio Atlantis to send another team and Zelenka. Meanwhile, John and Rodney would keep trying to find a way to open the doorway.

Once dinner was cleaned up they settled in early for the night. Teyla was exhausted from the activities of the day and quickly fell asleep.

In the middle of the night, Teyla bolted upright, her eyes widening as she gasped in surprise. A sickeningly cold feeling came over her, filling her heart with dread. Looking around her swiftly she noticed nothing unusual at the camp. Both Ronon and Rodney were sound asleep, so she knew John must already be on patrol. Groaning she reached a hand up to rub her neck. Her head was beginning to pound, that must be what had woken her.

Moving quietly, so as not to disturb Ronan and Rodney, Teyla rose to her feet grimacing at the simple movement. Moving silently toward their gear to obtain a painkiller, she stopped midstride and nearly fell as the pain steadily increased and dark spots danced across her vision. Teyla's body shook as she squeezed her eyes shut and panted heavily against the rising nausea.

Teyla gasped and her eyes flew open gasped when her leg forcefully stepped forward, her right hand trembling badly as it slowly moved toward her knife.

Teyla watched incredulously as her slim fingers shook then tightened firmly around the ornate handle slowly drawing it free of its holster. Stiffly her body turned back toward her sleeping teammates and advanced on them, one faltering step after another. Shock and cold terror all but overwhelmed her as she slowly began to realize what she was experiencing.

_How can this be happening?!? No wraith has ever linked to me without my establishing the connection first! _

She screamed a warning as it turned toward Ronon. Yet, no sound escaped from her throat. Sweat beaded on her forehead and her heart thudded loudly in her ears as she concentrated on digging her heels into the soft ground and turning away. She heard it laugh softly with her voice at her useless efforts. Moving cautiously it hovered over her friend's sleeping form.

Abruptly, Ronon woke and stared up at her with a perplexed expression. When he saw the glint of the knife in her hand instinct quickly took over. He swiftly rolled away and launched himself upward, striking out at her legs with his feet.

"Sheppard!" Ronon cried out as they both fell back and the knife was knocked away.

"What! What's happening?" A startled Rodney woke just in time to see Teyla backhand Ronon as he made a run at her sending him flying backwards.

"Oh my god, oh my god, oh my god!" Rodney scooted away from his teammate as fast as he could, stopping only when his back impacted the trunk of a tree.

Teyla stood over him and smiled. It was one of the most terrifying things Rodney had ever seen. Frozen to the spot, all he could do was gape as she bent down and grabbed him by the front of his t-shirt.

Easily lifting him with one arm she sent him careening into the side of the structure by which they had camped. A horrible crack resounded as his head impacted the outer wall and he fell to the ground unconscious just as John arrived at a full run.

She could see the fear in John's eyes as he took in the scene. Understanding crossed his face and she knew that he knew.

She had been a fool. She could see that now. She should never have insisted on exploring her 'gift' to the point of connecting with the wraith. Why had she not known that this would eventually happen and sooner or later they would reach out to her uninvited, just as she had done to them?

The wraith took a step toward John.

Out of nowhere, Ronon's stunner sounded, slamming her into the wall but she did not fall. She took a tremulous step toward John and again, the stunner sounded. This time she dropped to her knees gasping. Teyla knew the moment that the wraith lost its hold on her, Ronon's weapon having somehow severed the connection between them.

She had to take this chance now to save her team. Lurching sideways as she haltingly rose to her feet, she stared at Rodney's still form lying near her unconscious. She knew what she had to do.

"Stop!" John yelled, partly at her and partly at Ronon as he brought his weapon to bear on her again.

"John." Her voice cracked with emotion and pain as she spoke his name, hoping to express everything she felt with just the one word.

_I'm so sorry! I never intended for this to happen. I thought my 'gift' would help us fight the wraith, but in the end it has helped them destroy us. Forgive me. _

Her eyes locked with his. And she knew that he knew.

A sickeningly cold feeling came over her, filling her heart with dread again and her head began to pound.

If she did not act now, the wraith would take control again. She could not allow that to happen. Using the fear and adrenaline of the situation to give her the strength she needed, Teyla turned away from her team.

And she ran.

She ran as fast as she could, not daring to look back.


End file.
